Darien Library is celebrating its 130th anniversary Wednesday, May 22, with the organization’s sixth annual Day of Giving: 1894 Day, which it calls a “critical source of funding” for one of the town’s oldest institutions.
— an announcement from Darien Library
In the Courtyard from 3 to 5 p.m., the library will have for crafts for children, music by Caribbean Vibe steel drum band, and an ice cream truck.
“In honor of our 130th Anniversary, we aim to raise $130,000 in one day,” the library said in an announcement. You can donate online.
“This Giving Day has replaced our traditional Spring Gala,” the announcement said. “Darien Library is a true public-private partnership between the Town of Darien, which pays for salaries and operating expenses, and the Friends of the Library, who generously fund all the books, audiobooks, e-books, computers, technology, research databases, and the Library’s impressive range of cultural and entertainment programs.
The Library is asking the entire community for their support on May 22. Donors may give in person in the Library courtyard or online at any time between now and May 22 at darienlibrary.org/donate. For more information, please contact the Library’s Administrative Office at 203-669-5220.
Each donor will get exclusive giveaways at these suggested contribution levels:
- $13 — Darien Library notepad
- $130 — Darien Library pen
- $1,300 — Darien Library baseball cap
- $13,000 — All the above and more, of course
You can donate online, here.
Your donation is tax-deductible since the Library is a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
You can learn more about the library’s 130-year history here.
Probably the Worst Decision in Darien Library History …
Image from Puck Magazine, 1903
Thanks, anyway, Mr. C.
“There were previous attempts to found a library before the 1894 launch going back to the early 1800s,” according to the brief history of the library on its website. “Andrew Carnegie offered funds to create a Carnegie library, but he was turned down.”
Residents of the small town were worried their share of supporting the institution would be too much of a burden.
“The town then decided to start the library themselves,” the website says.
(Carnegie later spent some summers at a home at Long Neck Point, the tip of land at the southern end of Long Neck Point Road).
… and Perhaps the Best
From the history page on the library website:
“The current building was funded over a three-year capital campaign. A strategic plan completed in 2002 showed that active community use meant we were too popular for our former smaller building, and we planned to expand the building on its site to provide more space for the additional and expanded services as requested by our users.
“When that proved not possible, the Board determined to build a new Darien Library, adopted the motto “Once in a lifetime a community builds a library,” which resonated with residents who backed the initiative, with 1,800 families contributing to the capital campaign.
“The Library Board undertook by far the largest private fundraising in the history of Darien, which, when coupled with the sale of the 35 Leroy Ave. building to the Town, provided the resources to build the new library.”
More About Darien Library
Darien Library is among the busiest libraries in the state, with over 1,300 people visiting on an average day and the highest per capita circulation of items in Connecticut. The Library collection includes 125,000 books and 300 newspaper and magazine subscriptions.
In addition, the Library presents over 1,500 public events annually, hosting a lineup of bestselling authors, technology classes, early literacy programs, and workshops for small business owners and entrepreneurs.